And our club is used to running in first and second place in the points.” Cal Rothe stands by his 1932 Ford pickup truck that was formerly owned by Ramonan Doug Hood, who died three years ago. “We’re the only car to set a record at Bonneville in our whole club. 10.Īnyone who races has to be in one of 11 clubs, said Rothe. He will be competing again at El Mirage on Sept. And the big thing is that we get points when we race and last year we got second place in the points championship.” “We have 1-1/3 miles to get up to our distance and then our timing lights register how fast we’re going. Six times a years he races at El Mirage, a dry lake bed northeast of Los Angeles where SCTA hosts land speed racing. When he finishes the race, that's when the adrenaline kicks in, he said. "Luckily I'm very calm and relaxed and calculated," he said. The semi-retired Rothe said he has been racing all his life. “And then there’s the side wind sometimes,” he added, laughing. The tires want to spin, and so you have to slow down a little bit, get the tires to gain traction and then can accelerate from that. (Courtesy photo)Īlthough it’s wide open - no hairpin curves like he experiences in other racing - Rothe said there are challenges. Driver Cal Rothe at the Bonneville Salt Flats with Pete Aardema, owner/designer of the land speed race car, and Kevin Braun, machinest/engine builder. They race the two to three mile short course at Bonneville. “So it’s kind of the four of us has built a real team, a real bond,” said Rothe. Kevin Braun of Lakeside is the machinist, and Scott Goetz of Santee also serves as a driver. The rear engine modified roadster that he drives is owned by Pete Aardema, who formerly lived in Ramona. Last year, Rothe set a record of 197 mph in the fuel class at the flats. “It’s a kick to go that kind of speed,” he said. The event is sponsored by the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), which states that the spectacular scenery and racing conditions at the Bonneville Salt Flats make it one of the most popular areas in the world for speed. The Ramona resident was racing a land speed race car at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah during Speed Week in mid-August. "I set a new record - it's a two-way average of 211 mph," he said with elation. Cal Rothe is riding high these days after his recent racing achievement in Utah.
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